Magic of Youth
by a.dale
Summary: Stiles runs into a witch and as usual, things don't go as planned.
1. Chapter 1

_**Stiles**_

Scott stood staring at Stiles not knowing quite what to do. The witch had disappeared when Scott had dashed towards Stiles, terrified when the spell hit him that he would finally be injured beyond repair. Of course, when he reached Stiles, he didn't know whether his fears had been justified or not. Standing where Stiles had been was a tiny toddler version of Stiles with big, wide brown eyes, messy brown hair, and a tiny body hidden inside the clothes he'd been wearing before which now swam on him.

"Stiles?" Scott asked tentatively, and the little boy in front of him gave a big wide grin and giggled.

"Skdt!" Stiles exclaimed, making grabby hands at him, and Scott grinned. Yeah this was definitely Stiles. Scott looked around again, searching for any sign of the witch, but when he saw none, he picked Stiles up with a sigh. The pants stayed on the ground, the t-shirt hanging off one shoulder. The little boy automatically shivered and Scott cuddled him closer.

"Next time, we're bringing back up little buddy." Scott told him, and Stiles just grinned in return.

"Skdt blaq tdsl hme?"

"Yeah buddy, I'm taking you home."

Scott was sitting on the couch of the Stilinski residence with Stiles running around in his lacrosse sweater and sheriff Stilinski sitting in his armchair watching him in shock.

"Stiles was turned into a toddler by a witch?" the sheriff asked, and Scott nodded, watching Stiles playing with the stuffed cat his dad had pulled out of a box in a closet for him. Stiles was laughing as he rolled around with the cat, meowing in it's place and scampering around pretending he too was a cat. "Do we know _why_ she turned him into a toddler?" Scott shrugged. That was still something he was trying to figure out.

"No idea. Stiles decided he wanted to go looking for her-"

"Of course he did." the sheriff muttered, but it was fond.

"And we ended up finding her, but then poof." he waved his hand in Stiles' direction and the toddler toddled over, handing him his kitty.

"Ba." he said with a smile, and Scott smiled at him.

"Thanks, Stiles." Stiles gave a big wide grin and then ran off, grabbing a pillow off the floor and bringing it over.

"Ba."

"Thank you." Scott repeated, and again Stiles grinned, running off again. Soon, Scott had a stuffed cat, a pillow, a plate, a spoon, and a dry piece of macaroni that Stiles seemed to have found on the floor. His dad snorted out a laugh and Stiles ran over to his dad then, crawling up onto his lap and reaching for the sunglasses perched on his head. With clumsy hands he pulled them onto his face, grinning ridiculously, and then scrambled off his Dad's lap, ending up sprawled on the carpet, soft snores filling the room.

"I called Derek. He was out of town for the day doing research, but he's on his way here. He said we'd figure it out." the sheriff just nodded, smiling down at the young version of his son sprawled on the carpet. He looked just as he had the first time around, and he acted the exact same way. It was adorable to see Stiles sprawled there, the too big glasses skewed on his face, and the sheriff felt a pang in his chest, missing the time his son had lived a safe and innocent life. Then he stood.

"Alright Scott, I've got to get back to the station, but keep me updated." he said, clapping Scott on the shoulder before he moved to pick Stiles up, cuddling him for a moment before putting him on the couch next to Scott.

"Do you think he remembers anything?" the sheriff asked right before he left, and Scott shrugged.

"I'm not sure. He recognized me, but I guess we'll know when Derek gets here. If he recognizes Derek it'll be proof he at least remembers some things." the sheriff nodded and left, now feeling a twist of anxiety. If his son unconsciously remembered things, what would his young innocent mind make of the nightmares that chased him in his sleep? He winced, and hoped that maybe for once his son would be lucky and such things wouldn't happen.

When Stiles woke up, Scott gave him cheerios because it was the only thing he knew toddlers could eat (hopefully) without dying. He was watching, relieved, as Stiles munched on the cheerios in front of the TV watching Star Wars (another sign that he remembered some things) when Derek showed up. When the knock on the door came, Stiles perked up, looking over at Scott where he sat on the floor, still in his lacrosse sweater.

"Skdt walr roto?" he asked, and Scott stood, ruffling his hair.

"Don't worry, Stiles. It's just Derek." he said as he went to answer the door, and was surprised when he heard Stiles creep after him, stopping in the doorway and only peaking out from behind the frame. Scott opened the door, relieved to see Derek, and let him in.

"Hey Derek, Stiles is in the living room. I really need help, dude. I have no idea what to feed him without killing him or something. So all he's had is cheerios." they both heard the pitter patter of little feet as Stiles ran further into the living room and then back to the doorway, bowl of dry cheerios in hand, peaking out at Derek. Then he was running forward, a cheerio in his hand, offering it to Derek. Derek blinked down at the toddler before he crouched down at Stiles' level, accepting the cheerio with a surprisingly soft smile.

"Thanks, Stiles." Stiles just giggled before running and hiding behind Scott, peaking out at Derek from behind Scott's leg before giggling again. Then he was tugging on Scott's leg, making grabby motions to be picked up. When Scott obliged, he whispered loudly into his ear as if whispering meant Derek wouldn't hear him.

"Durw smo bipa." he whispered, and Scott laughed while Derek watched in disbelief.

"You understand him?" Derek asked, and Scott frowned.

"You don't?" Derek made an unimpressed face at him but Scott ignored him for more of Stiles' whispering.

"Yeah, he is a werewolf. That's right Stiles." then Scott was laughing and Derek staring in disbelief. Scott turned to Derek, laughter still clear in his expression. "He says you smell good." Stiles gave an indignant squawk and Scott just barely managed to set him down gently before he was running off, cheerios now scattered all over the hall, pulling a blanket over himself to hide on the couch. Scott and Derek followed, Derek with a bemused smile and Scott looking guilty as he knelt down beside where Stiles was 'hiding'.

"Stiles, buddy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you. Derek doesn't mind that you think he smells good." Scott managed awkwardly, and Derek snorted a laugh behind him. Stiles peaked out from under the blanket then, big brown eyes looking between them both with a shrewd expression.

"Durw culu fyly?" he asked, and Scott gave a relieved smile.

"Yeah, Derek can cook you food." Stiles pushed the blanket off then and sat up, looking at them both. Right then, Stiles stomach rumbled, and his face scrunched up unhappily.

"Hul falg bek na?" he asked, and Scott looked at Derek.

"Can you make scrambled eggs?" Derek just rolled his eyes before wandering into the kitchen. Unfortunately, there were no eggs in the fridge. He headed back towards the door, because something about that tiny toddler Stiles just made him want to make him happy.

"I'm just going to run over to the store. I'll be back in a minute." he said, walking out the door, and didn't see Stiles scramble to follow, watching him walk out the door. Scott just watched, curious, as Stiles sat down in front of the door, wiggling his toes as he waited for Derek to get back.

When Derek got back only five minutes later, he opened the door to find a resistance behind it.

"Scott?" he called out, and then seconds later Scott appeared, a sleepy Stiles in his arms.

"Sorry, Stiles fell asleep in front of the door waiting for you." Derek stared in surprise, and next thing he knew, Scott was handing him Stiles.

"I've gotta run though. Dr. Deaton called me, I've got to go meet him. Are you okay with Stiles?" before he could even answer, Stiles had wrapped his little arms around Derek's neck, face pressed against his skin.

"Yeah. I got him." Derek said, hoping his voice didn't sound rough, because the truth was, he missed the little kids that had run around the Hale house, he missed playing with them, and helping his family take care of them, and this small, affectionate, toddler Stiles reminded him of them.

"Great. Thanks Derek." Scott said, and like that he was off, leaving Derek alone with a toddler and a carton of eggs. Luckily, Derek knew more about children than Scott did.

Soon, Derek had Stiles set up at the table with a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him and was carefully helping him guide the fork to his mouth.

"Durw wuld Skdt?" It hadn't taken him long to figure out that 'Durw' was himself, since it was one of the few things that Stiles had repeated, and luckily, 'Skdt' sounded kind of like Scott.

"Scott?" he asked anyways, and when he got a big nod, he continued. "Scott had to go see Dr. Deaton." he said, and Stiles made a humming sound, scooping up eggs with his little fist and shoving them in his mouth. As Derek watched him, he wondered if he could teach him his name.

"Hey Stiles, say Derek."

Stiles blinked up at him.

"Durw." Derek rolled his eyes and tried again.

"Derek."

"Durw."

"Der-ek."

"Ek!" Stiles exclaimed, and Derek just gave a snort.

"No, Der. Der-ek."

"Der." Stiles said, and Derek relented.

"Close enough. That's me. Der." Stiles just beamed at him before doing something that had Derek gaping in shock. The little toddler pointed at Derek, and then made little fangs with his fingers.

"Woof!" Stiles exclaimed, and Derek just stared, remembering how Scott had said earlier that yes, he was a werewolf. Did that mean Stiles remembered?

"Yeah, I'm a werewolf." the little boy's eyes lit up excitedly and again he made little fangs.

"Woof!" he repeated, and Derek rolled his eyes.

"You want me to show you?" Stiles nodded emphatically, sliding out of his chair and toddling over to where Derek sat, staring up at him, waiting. With a sigh, Derek complied, letting himself change, and heard the surprised gasp as Stiles watched. He felt the tug and looked to see Stiles make the grabby motions that meant he wanted to be picked up, and so he complied, carefully, letting him stand on his thigh. He was surprised when the little hands reached out to touch his face, tentatively tracing it before he was suddenly hugging him again, little cheek rubbing against Derek's. Derek's initial reaction was to stiffen, but instead he relaxed. This was what pack was, and if Stiles was anything, it was pack.

"Stiles, you've been taking little naps all day. Do you want to go to bed?" he asked, and he felt Stiles vigorously shake his head no. "What about a movie?" he asked, and there was a hesitant nod.

"Der?" he asked in a questioning voice, and Derek assumed it meant was Derek going to come too.

"Yeah, I'm going to watch it too." Stiles leaned back and beamed at him, pointing at the ground to be set down and then reaching for Derek's hand, pulling him back to the living room. Derek fell asleep watching Star Wars with Stiles fast asleep curled up on his chest, and when the Sheriff got home, he just shook his head and covered them with a blanket.

The next day, after receiving a frantic apology from Scott (who Derek was beginning to assume was actually afraid of children), Derek decided it was time to get Stiles some age appropriate things. For one, Stiles needed a toy that _wasn't_ a cat because somehow that offended Derek greatly, and the second thing was some foods he could eat without much hassle. Of course, the moment Derek took Stiles out to get these things, he realized he couldn't go anywhere with Stiles without a car seat. So the first thing he _actually_ did, was call Peter. Having told Peter that he'd meet him at his loft with the item in question, Derek took Stiles on a long walking trip, which ended up being a trip during which Stiles ended up on Derek's shoulders laughing and giggling and combing his fingers through Derek's hair for grip while he talked in his nonsensical language about everything he saw. When they reached the loft, they were both thirsty, and Derek helped Stiles drink from a regular cup and added non breakable glasses to his list of needs. Of course, Stiles was so pleased to be using a regular cup that he almost didn't bother, but Derek knew one incident could end up with injuries so it was better not to push it. Stiles was jumping on his couch when he turned his back to refill the water glass and the moment Derek saw him, he gave a shout of surprise. Of course, the shout sent Stiles off balance and Derek was practically flying across the room, catching Stiles before he could hit the ground. The glass Derek had been filling shattered, and at the sound, Stiles burst into tears, twisting around so he could wrap his little arms around Derek, tears staining the collar of his shirt. Derek's immediate reaction was to soothe, and before either of them realized it, Stiles had stopped crying and was just cuddling into him. Though he was now loathe to put the tiny Stiles down, Derek did so carefully because he knew he couldn't leave the broken glass on the floor. He had the passing thought that maybe it was _him_ who needed the plastic dishes, but it amused him more than it irritated him.

"I'm sorry for scaring you." he apologized, and Stiles nodded. Then he did the last thing Derek expected him to do; he leaned forward and pecked a kiss against the tip of Derek's nose before giving a beaming grin as he climbed to his feet again. Watching Derek, he gave an experimental jump, and Derek laughed. This was definitely Stiles. He nodded and the boy beamed, going back to his leaping while Derek cleaned up the glass. He was just dumping the glass in the garbage when he heard the door to his loft open and Peter's voice float to greet him.

"I have what you asked for, dear nephew. Pray tell, which of the little wolves got themselves de-aged?" Peter asked, and Derek knew the moment Peter saw Stiles, because he laughed. "Of course it was you." Peter was saying, and then, out of the blue, Stiles let out a little shriek. Derek was moving in an instant. Was he hurt? Had Peter scared him? The little toddler practically leapt off the couch and into his arms in front of a shocked Peter. Peter watched the whole scene in shock and fascination; Not only did Derek act in immediate defence of the boy, but the boy actively searched to be close to Derek. Of course, when the miniature Stiles was safely in Derek's arm, Peter watched him lift his little face tucked under Derek's chin to give Peter an impish smile before he hid his face again. Peter burst out laughing, oh yes, this was definitely Stiles, as always doing his best to be near Derek.

"He certainly is fond of you." Peter noted, amused, and Derek shrugged, though he too, Peter noticed, was surprisingly attached to the boy as well.

"Probably because I'm whose been taking care of him." Derek said, and Peter wanted to roll his eyes. His nephew was so dense sometimes. With a shrug, he waved at the box by the door that contained the car seat.

"There you are then. Enjoy your time with the little imp while he stays this way. I'm sure you won't enjoy the boy around nearly as much when he's back to his regular self."

Derek opened his mouth to snap back a reply but then he realized doing so would only give his uncle more ammunition. He knew his uncle was wrong because it was one of the reasons Derek had been so willing to take care of the tiny Stiles; he cared about the human, and he wanted to see him safe. The fact that he was now able to fit curled up in one arm was merely another thing that melted Derek's heart.

"Thanks for bringing it." he said instead, moving to pick up the box in one arm and carry Stiles in the other. Peter watched his nephew walk out the door, arms full with child and accessory, and grinned from ear to ear, pulling out his phone and turning on the camera. He planned to have photographic evidence of this.

By the time Derek had managed to install the car seat and get Stiles in it, he was exhausted, but he still had to take the boy out for age appropriate food. That was how he ended up pushing a grocery cart around the store, Stiles sitting in the front, little legs swinging as he chattered away happily, tiny hands playing with where Derek's held the cart.

"Coo!" Stiles shouted at one point, tugging at Derek's hand and pointing down an aisle. "Coo bal nek!" he shouted, and though Derek didn't understand, he moved down that aisle anyways. When they made their way through the vegetable aisle, Derek watched Stiles carefully, watching the boy frown and point at the lettuce. Derek was struck then by how many times the boy had arrived smelling of fresh greens, and saying he'd just been preparing his father dinner. He knew from experience that the boy himself was not a healthy eater, so was this a memory from his older self? Derek passed him a head of lettuce and watched as Stiles ripped off a tiny piece experimentally and stick it in his mouth. He chewed for about 5 seconds before he was making a face, pushing the lettuce away. Derek smirked, putting it in a bag in the cart before continuing on. He hadn't thought the boy would like it.

"How about oatmeal, do you like oatmeal? Everyone likes that one with the dinosaurs, right?" Derek asked, and when Stiles just cocked his head at him, once more spewing words that made no sense to Derek whatsoever, he continued shopping on those hunches.

When they were finally done, Derek took Stiles back to his place where Peter had remained, now sprawled across the couch, book in hand.

"Welcome back, nephew. I see our dear Stiles is still in the body of a toddler." of course, Stiles chose that moment to warm up to Peter as well. The second Derek set him down, Stiles was rummaging through the bags, mumbling to himself in his odd little language until he came up with the oatmeal cookies. Derek remembered having mentioned in passing that they were for Peter when he'd tossed them in the cart, and now watched, amazed, as Stiles rushed them over to Peter with a huge grin on his face, offering them up to Derek's uncle.

"Ba!" he exclaimed, and Peter took the box, the smirk softening ever so slightly. As if Derek were no longer there, Peter scooped the boy up, settling him down on his lap and opening the box.

"I suppose we should have a snack, shouldn't we? After all, grocery shopping must have been hard work." Peter said solemnly, and Derek watched, amused, as Stiles gave a solemn nod.

"Der bao duy nylos warg." Stiles informed Peter with that same solemn expression, and Peter nodded as if he understood perfectly.

"Yes, we musn't get in the way while Derek unpacks." he ripped through the plastic and handed Stiles a cookie, watching him light up in excitement, immediately beginning to gnaw on the treat. Peter took one out for himself as well, and as he bit into it he finally looked up at Derek, that softness not leaving his expression. Derek was once again reminded that there had been a day where Peter had been a father, and he knew better than Derek did how to take care of a child.

"He's going to need a nap soon." Derek noted, and watched Peter lift a brow. "If you want to help, you can put him down for it while I unpack everything." though Peter made a show of rolling his eyes as if he were hard done by, the second Stiles was done the cookie he swept the boy into his arms, cuddling him expertly against his chest.

"I'll take care of it." Peter said flippantly, but his touch was soft as his fingers carded through Stiles' hair. Then he moved away, and Derek just barely made out Peter's next words. "Come on, little one, let's get you to sleep." Derek didn't wait around, moving to unpack the groceries, and thinking maybe he'd have time for a nap too before Stiles woke up.

Leaving Derek to unpack the groceries, Peter cradled the boy carefully in his arms, gratified when the boy curled easily in towards him. He would never admit it out loud, but he missed his children, and he missed his nieces and nephews.

"Where would you like to sleep today, hmm? In Derek's room perhaps?" Peter asked, wandering in that direction. "After all, you do see to have taken a shine to him. I wonder if that's because of he's been taking care of you in your days as a toddler, or if it's because you feel this way about him normally and just don't have the ability to hide it as a toddler." Peter mused, and Stiles leaned back, watching him with big, owl-like eyes.

"Wuv Der." though normally Peter would've smirked at the revelation, now his smile was ever so soft, and he gave a hum, leaning forward to rub his nose against the boy's scalp as the boy cuddled back in.

"Me too, little one. I am so very glad he was not hurt during my madness." he wondered briefly if Derek could hear him despite his soft tones, and knew that even if he could, he wouldn't say anything. When he reached Derek's room, he made to put the boy down, but the boy balked, clinging to him tighter. "You have to take a nap, Stiles. You need rest." in reply, Stiles just clung tighter, and Peter found it endearing. "I will stay with you." at the words, Stiles released his death grip, flopping back onto the bed and then making grabby motions at Peter. Rolling his eyes, Peter lied down next to him, smiling once again when the little boy immediately curled up against him. Lying on his side, Peter curled around the boy, and within seconds, they were both asleep.

After unpacking the groceries, Derek decided a nap really was in order and climbed the stairs to his room ready to rest. Upon reaching his room though, he stood frozen in the doorway. Though it was clear from the rumpled covers that they had not started out like this, Peter and Stiles were sprawled across his bed – or, Peter was sprawled across the bed, though his limbs were curled ever so slightly around the boy, and the boy had one hand fisted in Peter's shirt, the rest of his limbs splayed out like a star. Though he would have been annoyed any other time, the sight reminded him of his youth; of days when the whole pack would curl up in one space, limbs tangled, just taking comfort in each others existence. Thinking of that, Derek made no move to wake either previous occupants of his bed, instead he just climbed in as well, reaching out a hand so he could reach the boy. Seconds later, he too was asleep.

Both wolves woke up to the feeling of Stiles shaking between them, his quiet whimpers of "Ma," meeting their ears. Derek reacted first, a soft growl sounding in reaction to the child's fear, pulling Stiles in against his chest as he woke up. Even being held didn't soothe the boy though, and when his eyes opened, tears blurred the soft brown. Unsure of what to do, Derek looked over at Peter who was already reaching for the phone Derek had left on the bedside table.

"He misses his mother. This will be a good chance to test young Ms. Reyes instincts with other pack members." Derek didn't bother to argue that Stiles was indeed pack, because there was no question, and so he nodded, listening as Peter dialled, Erica answered, then agreed with Peter to come to the loft. He also didn't miss how Peter left out just why they were calling Erica.

Erica arrived with Boyd within 15 minutes, and though Stiles had been silent the whole time, the tears hadn't stopped. Both wolves froze the moment their eyes fell on the toddler, and then they moved forward together, stopping in front of where Derek sat on the couch, holding Stiles carefully against him, Peter watching from the door.

"Scott really wasn't lying." Erica said, and at the sound of her voice, Stiles looked up, big brown eyes staring at her sadly. It seemed Peter had nothing to worry about, because the instant Stiles had looked at her, she'd melted. "Oh you poor thing." she reached for him and he reached right back, letting her pull him into her arms, cuddling up against her. They all watched as she acted to soothe, rubbing her nose against his temple, fingers carding gently through his hair.

"Shh, you're okay, Stiles. We've got you." his tears slowed and he sniffled, little hands reaching up to play with the ends of Erica's hair. His watery voice mumbled in his nonsensical language, until Derek recognized 'Skdt', and he reached for his phone, eyes never leaving Erica who was cooing over Stiles, Boyd now standing very close, reaching out to touch the boy as well. When Scott answered the phone, Derek was smiling at his beta's treatment of the toddler.

"Hey Scott, you should get over here. Stiles is asking about you."

Scott arrived with Isaac, and upon seeing them, Stiles gave a bright peel of laughter.

"Skdt!" the toddler exclaimed, rushing over as fast as his unsteady legs could carry him. Scott crouched down to his level, grinning widely, and accepted the hug the child offered. "Kwa si mer jas boot hwa." Stiles said excitedly, and nobody could help but be amazed that Scott seemed to actually understand as he gave Erica a beaming grin.

"Yeah, Erica is pretty nice, isn't she? And I'm sure it makes her very happy to know you think she has beautiful hair." Stiles turned to beam at Erica, pleased that Scott had passed along his message, before he turned back to his best friend. "Der wa Pwa da yiki hum fidu!" the boy said happily next, and Scott's grin softened as he reached out to ruffle his de-aged friends hair. "Wuv kem."

"I'm sure they love you too, buddy. They did help you with your nightmare after all." Stiles went quiet at that, but none of them missed the blush that tipped his ears, or the small smile that graced his tiny face. Then he was looking past Scott to Isaac.

"Skdt?" he asked, pointing at the newcomer, and Isaac just stared at him, clearly deciding what he thought of this miniature version of Stiles.

"That's Isaac, Stiles. Don't you remember him?" Everyone watched Stiles frown a moment before his eyes lit up. Then, much as he'd done with Derek, he looked at Isaac and made little fangs with his fingers in front of his mouth. The sight had Scott and Erica laughing, Peter smirking, and Boyd and Derek giving serene smiles, as if this little boy was the cutest thing they'd ever seen. Isaac, however, narrowed his eyes at the boy. His appearance changed then, and Stiles gave a yelp of surprise, wobbling back a few steps. More surprising than Isaac's attempt to scare him however, was how the room erupted with growls, all protective of Stiles. Isaac's appearance shifted back instantly and Stiles gave a little laugh as he fell back onto his back, positively beaming.

"Wuv kem." he repeated, and once again, Scott laughed, the tense atmosphere fading.

"Yeah, it looks like they definitely feel the same way."

Despite the rough start with Isaac, things progressed smoothly from there, until it was Isaac who volunteered to help Stiles eat, soft smile on his face the whole time. When it was time for Stiles to go to bed, everyone was reluctant for Stiles to leave, all wanting to be able to spend the night all together and with the boy, but Derek was forced to point out that he actually had to take Stiles home to his father, and despite their disappointment, no one argued. That was how Derek found himself once again laying on the Stilinski couch, watching the old Star Trek TV show, with Stiles falling asleep on his chest. As soon as the boy's breathing and heart rate evened out, Derek was soon to follow into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Derek**_

Stiles woke up and his first feeling was of panic. The witch had hit him with her magic – had he lost a limb? Was he blind? Deaf? Cursed to be some weird supernatural creature? He shifted, feeling unusually heavy, and the moment he did, the memories flooded back of his few days as a toddler and he was left gaping. Not only had he been a toddler, but he'd _cuddled_ with _Derek_ and _Peter_ of all people. Not that he particularly minded, after all, he'd learned early on that the wolves were all tactile creatures, but there was something soft and sweet about these memories that endeared him to the two wolves. Speaking of said wolves, he was almost certain that a certain sourwolf alpha who was secretly a big softie had actually fallen asleep with toddler him on the couch. The thought had Stiles' eyes flying open and he spotted the wolf with him, just where he should be. What he also noted, was that he wasn't quite how he'd been when Stiles had fallen asleep as a toddler. Of course, given that he'd woken up his own age, he wasn't all that surprised that Derek had reverted to the toddler age. He felt a moment of panic, unsure of what he was supposed to do, but then when the tiny Derek shifted on his chest, opening blue eyes to look up at him, he melted.

"Hey, Derek. Good morning." he greeted, unable to help his smile, and the toddler Derek gave him a tentative smile, allowing Stiles to sit up before cuddling right back in. "You're a cuddly one, aren't you." Stiles noted fondly, but again, he didn't mind. He remembered every moment of his stint as a toddler, and remembered how hard Derek had tried to take care of him. His mind was already moving on from that though, even as the tiny Derek yawned, and Stiles saw little pointed werewolf teeth, the blue eyes momentarily flashing electric blue. He wondered briefly if he should be worried that Derek didn't currently hold his alpha status, but then realized that his older self still existed inside the younger one if his own experience was anything to go by and that it was probably safer if he didn't have an alphas bite when he was a toddler. As if to prove his point, Stiles gave a little yelp as tiny teeth bit his hand, and Derek startled, tears welling in his eyes as he reacted to the sound. Feeling foolish, Stiles just curled around him.

"Hey, it's okay, Derek. I'm not hurt. How about some breakfast, yeah? How about some ham, maybe some hummus on toast, and a banana? We need to keep you healthy." Derek just looked at him, tiny fists rubbing his tears away, before clinging to Stiles. Not taking that as a no, Stiles lifted him up, amazing when Derek was small and light enough to carry in one arm, and went to the kitchen. When Stiles tried to set him down, however, little claws came out, latching on to Stiles' shirt, and Stiles huffed out a laugh. "Alright, bud. I won't put you down. Hold on tight though, okay? I have to use both hands for a second." Derek nodded against his shoulder, clinging to him tightly enough that he was able to quickly cut up the ham, and banana into pieces while the bread toasted. When it was done, he spread the hummus across it, cutting that into small pieces as well, arranging it all on a plate before settling down at the table, turning Derek around so he was still in his lap but facing his food. He watched in amusement as Derek sniffed at the food before taking tentative bites of each different thing on the plate, tasting it all slowly. When he seemed satisfied, he wolfed it all down and gave Stiles a beaming smile as he cuddled back against him. Amused, Stiles stood, lifting Derek with him, and after dropping the plate in the sink, headed for the door. He grabbed Derek's car keys, knowing it would be easier just to drive his car than deal with the whole carseat setup ordeal, and managed to get Derek into the seat by switching his t-shirt for the one adult Derek had been wearing so that he now wore the dark grey henley, and Derek wore the Captain America t. Stiles figured it was a scent thing and just smiled before climbing behind the wheel once Derek was strapped in. It gave him a tiny thrill to know that Derek was only happy when he could sense Stiles. He arrived at the loft, and when he didn't see Peter immediately, he called out, Derek once again clinging, though this time his claws were puncturing his adult self's shirt.

"Peter! I need a hand." his back was to the staircase so he didn't see Peter appear, didn't see the resignation in his gaze that the boy was no longer his small, accepting, child self, but when Stiles turned, beaming up at Peter, the older wolf could recognize the affection the toddler had shown, an affection that had not been there before that. The werewolf relaxed, and then his gaze fell on the tiny shape in Stiles' arms.

"Is that _Derek_?" he asked, shock apparent, and Stiles nodded, walking over.

"Yeah. I woke up this morning as me, and thankfully clothed, though I won't ask how that works, and there was Derek, fast asleep on my chest. He's back to blue eyes though, which I am grateful for." he lifted the hand that still had the tiny fang pricks, and Peter chuckled. At the sound, Derek looked up from where he'd nestled himself against Stiles, and his eyes widened.

"Peter." Stiles was surprised that Derek could speak, but then again, knowing his uncle's name wasn't really all that complicated. What was even more surprising, was that Peter once again seemed to soften as he reached out a hand to run it over Derek's short, spiky hair.

"Hello, Derek. I see you're quite fond of our Stiles." he almost regretted the words, but rather than stiffen as Peter had expected, Stiles gave a soft laugh.

"Yeah, your Stiles returns the feeling." Stiles leaned his head against Peter's shoulder then, smiling at Derek in his arms. "I can remember everything you know." Surprised, Peter glanced at where the boy's head rested against his shoulder.

"Everything?" Stiles nodded, lifting his head and shifting so Peter could take Derek when the toddler reached tentatively for his uncle.

"Yup." Stiles confirmed. "I remember that only Scott could understand me, and I remember shopping with Derek, and sharing oatmeal cookies with you and how you napped with me and how you and Derek were both there when I woke. I remember Erica soothing away my tears, and how when Isaac scared me everyone in the room growled protectively and I said I loved you all." Stiles took a breath before he continued. "I remember that last night I fell asleep laying on Derek's chest watching the original Star Trek TV show and when I woke up I'd grown up again." he paused again. "I almost regret that I changed back." He admitted. "Everyone got along so well." Then the teasing grin lifted his expression. "Plus, the positive attention is always nice. Nobody hesitates to love up the toddler." Peter didn't know where the words came from; perhaps it was having his nephew in his arms for the first time since before the fire, before _Kate_ , but they passed his lips before he even realized what he was saying.

"If it's physical affection you desire, you should probably be aware that none of us would be adverse."

"Not even you?"

"Not even me." The smile that filled Stiles' expression then was warm and grateful. When Peter reached out to prove that fact though, there was a small growl and Derek leapt out of Peter's arms, crashing into Stiles and nearly sending them both crashing.

"Mine." Little Derek growled, child-like voice more adorable than threatening. Stiles just gaped and Peter gave a laugh.

"It would seem toddler Derek is channeling adult Derek's desire to keep you all to himself." Peter noted, amused, and watched Stiles blush. The blushing expression quickly became a mischievous smirk and suddenly Derek was almost squealing with laughter, squirming to escape Stiles' grasp. When he did manage to wriggle free, he ran to hide behind Peter's legs, but Stiles gave chase, chasing the screeching toddler around the loft with a wide grin. The next time he tried to hide behind Peter, the older wolf scooped him up, holding him steady as Stiles tickled him mercilessly. When Derek was gasping for breath, Stiles let up, leaning in to rub his nose against Derek's affectionately.

"You gotta share me, buddy. That's just how it works." Derek pouted and wow Stiles almost gave in because of it.

"Mine." Derek repeated, making grabby motions for him and trying to squirm out of Peter's arms.

"Sure, Derek. But I like it when other people hug me and stuff too. Just like you like it when Peter hugs you." Frowning, Derek looked up at his uncle who hugged him tighter to prove Stiles' point. Derek let out an honest to god giggle that had Stiles grinning from ear to ear and finally nodded, making grabby motions for Stiles but no longer leaning away from his uncle. Stiles moved forward obligingly and felt Derek's arms come around him followed by the one Peter wasn't using to support Derek.

"Pack." He heard Derek say then, and this time Peter replied.

"That's right, little one." Stiles felt a wave of nostalgia from when Peter had to referred to _him_ as that, and in response the arms embracing him tightened. "He's pack." Derek had returned to Stiles' arms then, and Stiles made him a large snack since he seemed to be starving. Peter didn't have to remind him that werewolves had higher metabolisms, but Stiles couldn't help but wonder how on earth a family of werewolves could afford to survive.

"Most werewolf families are old, Stiles, and therefore have amassed great wealth. We are no different." Stiles winced at Peter's words, not having realized he'd spoken the thoughts out loud, and Derek gave a whine when, Stiles assumed, he smelled Stiles' discomfort.

"Sorry, Der. It's all good." he leaned down to press an absent minded kiss to the top of Derek's head while he continued to prepare a snack of cut up grapes, apples, blueberries, and deli sliced chicken.

"You have a surprisingly good information when it comes to feeding toddlers." Peter noted, leaning against the counter on the other side of where Derek sat near the edge, there more for Stiles' sanity than anything else. He knew Derek wouldn't hurt himself if he fell, but it still made him nervous.

"One of the many things I researched on a sleepless night. How to prepare the food, that is. As for healthy food groups, you can thank my Dad's health problems for that." the words were said easily, and it told Peter Stiles wasn't _really_ worried about his father, but it was a nice gesture all the same.

"Scott could certainly use some lessons. Derek thought the reason he handed you over so easily was because he was actually terrified of hurting you when you were so small." Stiles shrugged at that, and unlike Peter had expected, he wasn't surprised at all.

"Scott's already afraid of hurting me." Stiles said honestly, offering Derek a handful of fruit, eyes on the toddler to make sure he didn't take too many at once. "He's always scared that during a lacrosse game he'll lose control and seriously injure someone, or that he'll hug me a bit too tight and snap my spine or something. I'm surprised he didn't flat out panic." Again the words were good natured, but Peter was frowning.

"I could not sense any unease."

"That's probably because he was never in a situation where he had to be worried about my safety. When the rest of you are around, he doesn't have to worry, because especially when you or Derek are around, he trusts you guys will be able to sense if something is up, or if he's doing something wrong, so he's more at ease." Stiles went absolutely still, and Peter worried momentarily that he'd injured himself. Derek seemed to have the same idea because he gave a low whine, his eyes flashing blue as he shifted along the counter the few inches so that he could latch onto Stiles. At the touch, Stiles seemed to jolt out of his thoughts and he automatically scooped Derek into his arms, turning to face Peter. "I figured it out. I know why she turned me into a kid." Stiles said, serious now, and Peter frowned.

"Why would that be?"

"Because she didn't think it would bring us closer together, she thought it would break us apart." Peter frowned, so Stiles continued. "Think about it. Scott panicked, so he called Derek, but for once, Derek was gentle instead of aggressive, so Scott is soothed and feels a bond over child me. You're pack, but you were more on the edge, but again, the way you handled me soothed Derek, and voila, welcome to the fold. Erica proved herself to both of you when she helped me with my nightmare despite how you usually expect her to be more aggressive as well, and even Isaac showed his softer side in the end. The point is, she expected everyone to lash out at each other because how would an awkward pack know how to deal with a child when they're all children? But it didn't work with me, it did just the opposite, so the curse-"  
"Moved to the closest target that might be able to do the same thing; Derek."

"Exactly. So now all we have to do is call everyone up, prove how much we all bond over adorable toddlers, and then send everyone home. Since Derek was the only one around, the curse moved to him, so as long as I'm the only one around, it should go away since it had no luck with me." Peter stared at him while he thought, but finally gave a nod.

"I don't see why we can't at least try." Stiles positively beamed. The snore coming from the werewolf curled up against his chest though, had the expression softening and he leaned down to press another kiss to Derek's head.

"We can do that after nap." Stiles decided, and then looked back up at Peter. "Joining us again?" Rather than answer, Peter lead the way, and soon the three of them were fast asleep, curled around the tiny form of Derek.

"Oooh, he's so cute." Allison cooed, ruffling Derek's hair. She'd been upset she couldn't see Stiles as a toddler, but she'd forgiven Scott for not calling her when faced with the tiny Derek.

"He is surprisingly adorable." Lydia sniffed, also miffed that she'd missed Stiles as a toddler, but when Derek gave her a tentative smile, she seemed to melt.

"He also seems to have a thing for marking Stiles." Erica snickered, and Stiles blushed. Derek had woken him up by gnawing on his skin where his neck connected to his shoulder, and when Stiles had yelped in surprise, waking Peter, the older wolf had simply chuckled at the tiny werewolf's antics. She paired the words with a ruffle of Stiles' hair, and Derek pouted slightly at the contact, burrowing further into Stiles' side. The action only endeared him to the girls more though, and much to Stiles' amusement and Derek's obvious pleasure, they continued to fawn over him.

An hour later, the rest of the pack appeared, and though they didn't coo, they were equally as fond of toddler Derek. Though it wasn't expected, nobody was surprised when Boyd was the first of the male wolves to act, though everyone was surprised how he played with him, letting the tiny Derek climb onto his shoulders and then racing around the room with him. When Derek felt he'd been away from Stiles too long and had to go back, Erica had wrapped Boyd in a hug and given him the briefest, but most affectionate kiss Stiles had ever seen between people who weren't his parents when his mother had still been alive. The thought made him ache, but it wasn't as painful as it had been because of the people surrounding him now, and for that he was grateful. Next to get close to Derek had been Isaac, who'd crouched down in front of the couch, head tilting to the side. Derek had growled at him, eyes flashing blue, and Isaac had reacted by grinning from ear to ear, his own eyes flashing yellow. At the sight, Derek had beamed at him, crawling over so he could sit in Isaac's lap on the floor, little hands reaching up to play with the curls on the top of Isaac's head. The beta became serene with the contact, and he'd leaned against Stiles' shins so he was still within reach for Derek, and had sat, unmoving, while Derek played with his curls. The interaction with Scott was by far the most amusing for Stiles. With Peter as a distraction, Stiles had finally managed to get up and move around without the toddler attached to his hip, and though he certainly loved being Derek's favourite, he still needed to be able to do things without him. It was when he'd managed to get up that Scott had followed him and grabbed him in a hug, relief pouring off him so strongly that even Stiles could practically smell it.

"I'm so glad you're back. Not that little you wasn't adorable and all that, dude, but it's great to have my best friend back." Stiles rolled his eyes but hugged him back, understanding the sentiment. He lead Scott to the kitchen, deciding he needed something to eat before his stomach ate itself, and that he should probably consider making something for Derek while he was there.

"Did Peter tell you that we figured out why Derek got de-aged?" Stiles asked, having seen Peter pull Scott aside when he'd first arrived, and Scott nodded.

"Yeah, he told me all about it. That's crazy, right? I mean, did she really think that you being a tinier human would tear us all apart?" Stiles winced, not wanting to jinx things by agreeing again, because he had the feeling it would be just there luck for that to happen.

"Let's just hope we'll all be back to the right age before she finds out what's happened. Then this time we'll be able to get the jump on her." At that, Scott gave an evil grin.

"Won't you be sad when Derek goes back to normal though? After all, your man crush is finally being answered by a toddler." Stiles gaped at his best friend before making a face.

" _Dude_ , that's gross. Don't even go there. Man, you're scarring me with your presence." Scott's grin only widened, and Stiles watched his friends' gaze zero in on the little teeth marks on his neck. Scott didn't say anything else and Stiles made another face at him. "You're disgusting. You and your filthy mind need to be rinsed out with soap." he complained, grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge and lobbing it at him. Scott, of course, caught it and responded by pouncing, grabbing Stiles in a headlock. Scott was laughing while Stiles grumbled abuse at him while he tried to escape, and next thing either of them knew, there was a tiny werewolf growl, and then Derek appeared, leaping onto Scott's back and biting down, hard. Scott gave a shout of surprise, and Stiles immediately was released, spinning around to see the situation. If it weren't for the fact that Derek was actually trying to _injure_ Scott, it would've been hilarious: Scott was trying to shake him off without hurting him, and Derek was clinging like a spider, fangs piercing the back of Scott's shoulder. Feeling pity for his best friend, Stiles immediately made for Derek, wrapping his arms around him and giving a gentle tug.

"Come on, Derek. Let go. You're hurting him." Derek released Scott immediately only to turn in Stiles' arms and wrap his arms as best he could around Stiles, burying his face against his neck. Scott turned a look of disbelief on Stiles, and Stiles just smirked. "He was protecting me." Stiles crowed, and he knew Derek could hear the pride in his voice, because he could feel the smile against his skin. Since Scott was still staring at him in disbelief, Stiles then did one better, he turned his head so his lips were by Derek's ear, and murmured, "Thanks, little guy." Scott just gaped at him, and Stiles burst out laughing, finally nudging Derek back again. "Okay, Derek? This is Scott. You probably vaguely remember him being an annoying kid who never listens to anything you said." he snickered as Scott's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "But he's my best friend, so no more attacking him, okay? Unless you're playing." Derek pouted at him again, and really, Stiles was having a hard time saying no to that pout, but he tried again. "I mean it, Der. See, I'm not hurt, right?" Derek's tiny, round face scrunched up in a frown before he leaned forward and sniffed at Stiles before shaking his head. "That's right, I'm just fine. Because Scott is my friend, and he would never hurt me." he knew his heartbeat was steady because he absolutely trusted his best friend with his life, and he watched Scott relax as he heard the steady heartbeat, a small smile filling his features. Derek finally gave a huff, cuddling against Stiles again, but he no longer glared at Scott, and Stiles counted that as a win.

When night fell and they'd kicked everyone out to go home, Stiles wondered briefly if they should stay here or go back to his own house. On one hand, familiarity was good, but on the other, what if adult Derek didn't appreciate Stiles being there when he changed back? After all, how adult Derek treated toddler Stiles and how toddler Derek treated adult Stiles was different than how adult Derek treated adult Stiles. He sighed, deciding it would probably be best to go home, if only because then Derek would have an escape if he needed it.

"I'm going to take him back to my house." Stiles finally said, and Peter just nodded, clearly understanding his thoughts on the matter. "Why don't you drive us over though, that way you can bring his car back. I'm sure he'll be perfectly capable of running when he turns back, and he'll probably appreciate the activity. He hasn't had a chance to move much today, what will how we've all just cuddled him practically to death." Peter just nodded, leaning in to nuzzle his nephew as the little one rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Let's go before he gets cranky." Stiles just smirked at the words and Peter rolled his eyes but lead the way. When they pulled up in front of the Stilinski residence, Peter stopped Stiles with a hand on his arm. "He won't run." Peter said, voice soothing, and Stiles gave a tired smile.

"I'd like to think you're right." Stiles finally admitted, "But I think we both know he doesn't exactly react well to emotion." Peter sighed but couldn't disagree.

"If I see my nephew as an adult in the next 24 hours, I'll poison him with wolfsbane." Peter said cheerfully, and Stiles was glad Derek was asleep in the back so he didn't hear that. Of course, that didn't stop Stiles from laughing.

"Sounds fair." with that, he got out, getting Derek out of the carseat and wrapping him up in his arms, as he woke momentarily from the movement. "Come on, we're going to bed." then he turned back to Peter with a smile. "Thanks for the ride. Goodnight, Peter." he turned back to his house and climbed the steps, not having the chance to see the soft smile that graced Peter's lips and his parting words before he drove off.

"Goodnight, little ones."

When Stiles reached his room, he settled Derek down on the middle of the bed, keeping a wary eye on him while he quickly slipped into pyjamas before crawling under the covers beside Derek. He made sure Derek was between him and the wall, because despite the fact that it was very possible that Derek would become adult again during the night, he was not risking toddler Derek accidentally falling out of bed. The moment he was settled down, Derek managed to roll himself closer in sleep, curling up against Stiles' chest with his face pressed against Stiles' breastbone. It was an endearing action, and Stiles felt as if his heart was in his throat as he reached down to stroke his fingers through Derek's spiked hair.

"I hope that if you remember this, what you remember is how much I cared and care about you, and not how much we babied you. Not that you can really judge for that since you totally went all out with me, but older you knows what I mean." Though he knew Derek couldn't hear him in sleep, he kept talking. "Thing is, I'm kind of in love with you, and even though it's only been 3 nights in a row and one of us has always been in the shape of a toddler, I've still gotten used to this, us sleeping in the same space, and I'm going to miss it." he took a deep breath, held it, and let it go. "Truth is, I'm scared that even though little you obviously cares about me a lot, that older you doesn't feel that way at all, and toddler you only felt like that because I was the first one you saw and all that jazz. Maybe because I always fead you? I'm not sure, really. But that's what I'm scared of." he sighed, arms wrapping around Derek's tiny form. "Goodnight, Der." he finally said, closing his eyes. Within seconds, he was asleep.

Derek woke up in the same place he'd fallen asleep, his ear pressed against Stiles' chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat directly under his ear. Just like Stiles had, he could remember everything, and just remembering it had his heart in his throat. Stiles shifted in his sleep, making Derek aware of the hand in his hair, the arm slung around his waist, and Derek closed his eyes again, wondering what he should be doing. On one hand, he knew he should probably leave so that things wouldn't get awkward, but on the other hand, he could remember the words Stiles had murmured the night before when he'd thought Derek was asleep. _I'm kind of in love with you_. He'd said, and the words had the wolf in him howling with joy. He knew that these sorts of things usually crashed and burned with him; Derek had never been lucky enough to have a good relationship with anyone; but rather than move, he stayed where he was, curling an arm around Stiles' hips and closing his eyes again. Whatever was going to happen, they could deal with it in the morning, but Stiles had been right, he'd gotten used to this too.

Stiles woke up feeling like he was going to melt. He was so hot he could hardly breathe and he regretted wearing sweatpants to bed. That was when his brain sputtered to a halt. How was he overheating? Sure, werewolves put off a lot of heat, but Derek was tiny – he realized then that the tiny werewolf was now a full grown werewolf, who was sprawled across Stiles like a blanket. Stiles felt a moment of panic; what if Derek wasn't aware of where he was and what was going on? What if he wasn't okay with – whatever this was? He knew his heartbeat was racing but he couldn't help it, and when Derek shifted he thought he might actually pass out.

"Stiles, calm down." Derek's voice was rough from sleep and Stiles went absolutely still when Derek moved so he was no longer on top of Stiles. When he then grabbed Stiles and pulled him into his arms though, Stiles let out what could only be a manly squeak.

"You're back to your own age." Stiles noted, stiff in Derek's arms, and Derek gave a hum of agreement, pressing his face against Stiles' throat. "And you're still in my bed." he felt Derek pull back so that he could look at him, slight frown marring his features.

"Do you want me to leave?" Stiles was shaking his head before he'd even taken the time to think about what he was admitting, and watched the satisfied smile spread across Derek's face. "Good, now go back to sleep." Though he was still trying to process that Derek _wanted_ to be in bed with him, he couldn't keep focused on even that.

"We should probably let everyone else know you're back to your proper age." Stiles said then, and Derek's arms just tightened around him. "Unless of course, you don't want to," he amended, "But Peter's probably worried seeing as you were all cuddly with him, he's definitely gone all soft, and he'll be wondering if my plan worked." with that he was turning, trying to reach for his phone. "And I have to check and make sure nobody else ended up being a toddler since that would mean my theory was wrong-" Derek growling had him freezing and then he was being manhandled to the other side of the bed so he was between the wall and Derek and could not longer get up without going through the werewolf. "Derek, come on, this stuff is important." Stiles grumbled, and Derek just gave him a look, propping himself up on his elbow so he could lean over him. Stiles swallowed nervously, not really sure where to look, or what to do with his hands, and he ended up shifting nervously, looking down at his hands which sort of fluttered in front of his chest.

"Stiles," his gaze resolutely fixed on his hands.

"Yes, Derek?" his attention was stolen by Derek covering his hands with one of his own to still them, and Stiles could only stare at the hand now holding his own, blinking slowly.

"You know, I heard you tell Peter that you remembered everything from when you were turned back into a toddler." Stiles' gaze finally met Derek's with a frown.

"How do you remember that? You were a toddler-" he broke off, cheeks flushing, and Derek smiled.

"Yeah, I remember everything too."

"Oh." Stiles dropped his gaze again but Derek wouldn't let him escape that time, releasing his hands only to take his chin, tilting his face back up.

"I remember that you talked to me before falling asleep." he told Stiles, and watched Stiles blush even darker.

"Ah, that, well, you can just forget you heard anything. Sorry you had to hear me rambling-" he was cut off with a kiss, and it took him a moment to register what was happening, and when he finally realized what was going on his hands reached up to grab onto Derek's shirt, keeping him in place as he finally kissed back. When he finally pulled away, taking in Stiles cheeks flushed but not because of embarrassment, and his kiss swollen lips, Derek felt a surge of satisfaction.

"This isn't going to be easy, you know." Derek reminded him, leaning forward so their foreheads were pressed together. Stiles just grinned.

"Nothing is ever easy with you, sourwolf. But I'll tell you one thing," Derek waited expectantly for the answer, and watched the grin soften. "Toddler you was right, I am definitely yours." and he sealed the words with a kiss.


End file.
